Monthly Archives: March 2017

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‘Studium Generale explores whether there is such a thing as a “religiously neutral state”. When it comes to religion, how do states’ approaches to secularization shape where “private” and “public” realms begin?

Where does “private” end and “public” begin when it comes to religion? To explore this, we look at how states’ approaches to secularization have been shaped. Is there such a thing as a “religiously neutral state”? What tensions have been at the root of the way states position themselves in relation to religion in the public sphere? Dr. Hans-Martien ten Napel will draw on examples from Europe and elsewhere around the world. His accent will be on the case of Great Britain where frameworks were proposed for accommodating differences and diversity in the public realm. Taking political traditions into account, he will explore religion in the public realm from an interdisciplinary perspective.’

‘The most popular Reformed preacher and author in America today is not eligible to receive Princeton Theological Seminary’s annual award in Reformed theology and public witness.

The mainline seminary reversed its decision to honor Tim Keller with a prize named for neo-Calvinist theologian Abraham Kuyper following outcry over the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) pastor’s conservative positions.

Princeton president Craig Barnes announced the news in a letter released Wednesday morning.’

In my forthcoming book on Constitutionalism, Democracy and Religious Freedom. To Be Fully Human, I write that there is an increasing academic fascination with cities, both in theology and law and political science, and rightly so. The reason for this lies without doubt in part in the prognosis that during the 21st century globally ever more people will be living in cities. As a result, the urge is felt to develop a theology for the city, with the help of which urban populations can be reached.

An example is provided by the ministry of Tim Keller in New York City. His Redeemer Presbyterian Church, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014 and can already in many ways be regarded as a success story, recently adopted an even more ambitious plan to reach a still larger part of the population of Manhattan. Also more in general, New York City can, contrary to what many people would expect, best be characterised as a religiously vibrant place.

The state of Dutch democracy is uncertain. After last week’s elections, the stability of the political system appears guaranteed for the next couple of years. We cannot be sure, however, what will happen afterwards. This marks a change from the past.

‘On both sides of the Atlantic, courts this week have addressed the relationship of Islam to the west, but with radically different approaches and outcomes. In the US, federal courts in Hawaii and Maryland have halted Donald Trump’s second attempt at a Muslim ban. Meanwhile, the European court of justice, Europe’s highest court, has upheld the right of private employers to ban Muslim women from wearing headscarves.

American and European law each embrace principles of religious neutrality and non-discrimination, but the divergent application of those laws reflects different levels of discomfort with religion generally and a demographic anxiety with Islam in particular.’

Muneer I Ahmad is Clinical Professor of Law at Yale Law School and co-director of the Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic, which was co-counsel on the first case to challenge the original Muslim Ban.

My forthcoming book on Constitutionalism, Democracy and Religious Freedom. To Be Fully Human (Routledge) is comparative, among other things, in the sense that it sometimes points towards differences and similarities between Europe and North America, be it not in a systematic manner. As such, it notes that in Europe respect for the fundamental right of freedom of religion or belief appears to have been eroding for quite some time, certainly in some of the courts.

Geert Wilders’ PVV Party believes that Islam is a totalitarian ideology and not a religion, and thus Muslims are not equally entitled to the same freedom of religion or belief as other believers. This view is incompatible with liberal democracy.

‘A reorientation of liberal democracy towards the common good is one main contribution that world religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism can help achieve in an otherwise religiously violent world. The constitutional significance of in particular the associational and institutional dimensions of the right to freedom of religion or belief is that they facilitate this contribution. To put into question the possibility to realise this right, is to doubt whether liberal democracy itself is possible.’

About my blog

I am both a lawyer and political scientist by training. From early on I have been fascinated by crossing (sub)disciplinary boundaries. Thus, while I was still teaching at the Department of Political Science, I collaborated with constitutional lawyers in the field of Dutch government and politics. I also spent a sabbatical at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, USA. After my transfer to the Law Faculty, I developed a course in Comparative Constitutional Law, thereby once again attempting to bridge the gap with constitutional politics. I also co-directed book projects on political parties and public law (2014) and the separation of powers (2015) respectively.
Recently, I have been able to capitalize on the fact that I thrive in interdisciplinary and international settings even further. In 2013 a research proposal I co-authored with historian James Kennedy as principal applicant, entitled ‘Religion Renegotiated: Faith-Based Organizations and the State in the Netherlands since the 1960s', was granted a major subsidy by the Dutch Association for Scientific Research (NWO). In 2014 I was awarded a Research Fellowship in Legal Studies at the Center of Theological Inquiry (CTI) at Princeton University, USA, which enabled me to be in full-time residence at CTI for the academic year 2014-2015. Since 2015, I am a member of the editorial board of the Tijdschrift voor Religie, Recht en Beleid (Journal for Religion, Law and Policy).
Throughout my professional career my passion has been the question of how constitutional democracies can be designed in order to meet the demands of religiously and otherwise divided societies. My PhD thesis already dealt with the origins of the Dutch Christian Democratic party, whose predecessors were major architects of the pluriform democracy which has characterized the Netherlands during most of the 20th century. A new book, entitled 'Constitutionalism, Democracy and Religious Freedom. To Be Fully Human' (Routledge), is now published.

‘The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) is honored to announce the distinguished keynote speaker for the 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium — “Religion and Religious Freedom in a Changing World” — to be held 1-4 … Continue reading →

Topics include: New Perspectives on Montesquieu The Crisis of Constitutional Democracy American Public Philosophy in the Age of Trump On the Compatibility of Natural Law and Natural Rights Author Meets Critics: Alexander Tsesis’s “Constitutional Ethos” Liberalism in Crisis Challenges to … Continue reading →

‘The central question political scientist Mark R. Royce addresses in his book, The Political Theology of European Integration: Comparing the Influence of Religious Histories on European Policies, is whether the process of European integration as it has developed since the … Continue reading →

Just two out of many panels, which made this yet another great conference. Proud to have been part of it for the fourth year in a row, after Florence, New York City and Berlin. Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde’s Constitutional Thought in Comparative Perspective … Continue reading →

Looking forward to presenting next week on ‘The European Court of Human Rights’ “constitutional morality” in the religious domain’. The paper forms part of a panel on ‘Judicialisation of Human Rights Law and Policy: A Vehicle for Effective Protection of Fundamental Rights?’ The … Continue reading →

Just five of the speakers, making this such a very worthwhile event to attend: – Russell Moore, President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention – Daniel Mark, Chairman of the United States Commission on … Continue reading →

‘Twelve researchers of our Law School have been awarded an ILS seed money grant. This grant enables researchers to create space for preparing a grant proposal for NWO, ERC or otherwise. Given the impressive quality of the twelve applications received … Continue reading →

Source: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=240138 This week I will be attending the 2017 Acton University Conference, at DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Acton University ‘is a unique, four-day exploration of the intellectual foundations of a free society. Guided by a … Continue reading →